Call Northside 777 Page #9

of Frank Wiecek.

You may present

the evidence, Mr. Burns.

Unfortunately, gentlemen...

my telephone conversation with Mr. McNeal

was necessarily brief.

He's flying down to Springfield.

He should be here at any moment.

What evidence does he have?

What evidence does he have?

- I'm afraid I don't know.

- Mr. Chairman.

- Mr. Faxon.

- I object.

The state's attorney's office

has the right to demand...

orthodox conduct of this hearing.

If you have conclusive evidence,

present it.

Otherwise, we ask that the petition be

denied here and now.

Mr. Faxon, we certainly

intend to follow...

orthodox procedure in

this board of pardons.

[ No Audible Dialogue ]

[ Whispering ] Kelly's sending it

over the A.P. wire.

- Have you got anything at all?

- I don't have a thing.

We'll just have to stall them.

- Let me talk to them.

- All right.

Mr. Chairman, gentlemen...

I'd like to ask your permission to have

Mr. McNeal of the Chicago Times...

address the board.

- Granted.

- Thank you, sir.

Mr. Chairman, gentlemen,

I'd like to apologize for being late...

but it was just impossible for me

to get here sooner.

I, uh-- I don't know

how much Mr. Burns has told you.

Strictly from a reporter's

point of view, understand...

I've assembled what I feel

is a very solid case.

And of what does

this case consist?

Well, it consists of such debatable items

as a lie-detector test.

Now, I realize that you're unable

to accept that.

You want evidence.

But sometimes the weight of evidence,

just because it's in the record...

is heavy enough

to crush the truth.

We'll discuss the shortcomings of our

judicial system some other time, Mr. McNeal.

Yes, sir. I'm sorry.

I realize that at the present time

you want facts.

We have a notarized affidavit...

from the bailiff

ofJudge Moulton's court...

that the judge felt that Wiecek

did not receive a fair trial.

We have those documents

before us, Mr. McNeal.

They could hardly

be called conclusive.

Yes, sir. But as you probably know

from those documents...

Gruska and Decker contradicted Wanda Skutnik's

testimony, and those affidavits bear them out.

The board is aware

of that, too, Mr. McNeal.

But Wanda Skutnik has not altered

her testimony, has she?

Wanda Skutnik lied

from beginning to end!

She lied about everything!

You know, it's a very funny thing

about the statue ofjustice up there.

She has a sword in her hand.

It's a double-edged sword.

Cuts both ways.

It keeps cutting the ground out...

from under everything

in favor of Frank Wiecek...

but the other side of it,

that isn't so sharp.

It doesn't cut the ground

out from under Wanda Skutnik...

and she's the only one responsible

for Wiecek's conviction!

Now, I have a police record here

that proves that Wiecek was arrested...

on the 22nd of December.

I have another one here...

that proves he wasn't booked

until the 23rd of December, one day later.

Okay. Wanda Skutnik testified...

that she didn't see him

from the time of the murder...

until the time she identified him

in the police lineup.

Here's a photograph

of Frank Wiecek...

and Wanda Skutnik together...

going into a police station.

Now, take a look at that,

gentlemen. That's new.

And that's the basis

of my conclusive evidence.

The two photostats

of the police records...

merely indicate

that some time elapsed...

between Wiecek's arrest

and the time he was booked.

As a reporter, you know very well that this

is a common occurrence at police stations.

Yes, sir, but what about

that photograph?

It must be perfectly obvious to you,

Mr. McNeal...

that we have no way of knowing

when this picture was taken.

Was it on the 22nd or the 23rd?

Or during or after the trial?

Yes, sir. I know. Gentlemen,

that's what delayed me.

Now, if I do prove that that photograph

was taken on the 22nd of December...

one day before Wanda Skutnik identified

Frank Wiecek in the police lineup--

How about that? What then?

In that event, Mr. McNeal...

we might be obliged

to render a favorable decision.

- But can you prove it?

- Yes, sir. I think I can.

I just need a little time.

Time? Do you mean to say that you

still have no corroborating evidence?

No, I'm not sure.

The police laboratory

down in Chicago is enlarging...

this section of the photograph.

- Now, if the enlarging process--

- Yes, I know.

But how long will this take?

As soon as the enlargement is developed,

they're gonna send it...

over the wire photo system

from the Chicago Times...

to the Illinois StateJournal,

which is just a few blocks down here.

Now, all I ask, gentlemen,

is that you go down there...

- and see that thing with me.

- I object!

The methods of publicity previously used

in behalf of the plaintiff...

indicate that this may

rightly be regarded as an attempt...

to make journalistic capital

of this hearing.

I am authorized by the state's attorney's

office to state categorically...

that in the opinion of our office,

the facts set forth in Wiecek's behalf....

do not indicate that he was a victim of

a miscarriage of justice.

We're here to protect the interests of

the people of this state...

- not to sell newspapers.

- Mr. Chairman...

gentlemen...

the governor ordered this hearing

for the purpose...

of arriving at the truth.

If you fail to consider

every item of evidence...

no matter how

improperly presented...

you have defeated

the very purpose of this hearing.

What is your decision,

Mr. Chairman?

Gentlemen, we'll go.

- Are you clear to Springfield?

- Yes, sir. The wire's open.

Well, hold it open.

I'll have the picture in a minute.

- Which one's McNeal?

- Yeah, right here.

Here are a couple of prints that came in

a while ago from Kelly of the Times.

This one's blown up

a hundred times.

This one 140.

- He said you'd understand.

- Okay. Thanks very much.

Excuse me.

Ask them if they're ready.

- Springfield, are you ready for this picture?

- We're ready.

- Okay. Here's the final lineup.

- Okay.

All ready, Mr. McNeal.

Gentlemen, let me explain

to you what's happening here.

As you remember,

this is the picture I showed you before.

And this is the area we're working on

right here-- the newsboy.

All right. Now, this print

is that area...

enlarged a hundred times.

And this print

is that same area...

enlarged 140 times.

Now, the picture

coming in now...

is this area right in here...

blown up as big as possible.

Well, what do you expect

to find in the enlargement?

The date on the newspaper

held in the newsboy's hand.

Is that possible?

Frankly, I don't know, sir.

It depends on

a whole lot of things--

the condition of the dupe negative,

the density of the print, the--

I've been doing

a little praying too.

That's it, Mr. McNeal.

Excuse me, please.

- How long will this take?

- Oh, it's a positive print. Shouldn't take long.

You can come along

with me if you want.

This way, gentlemen.

Remember, this is the area

I showed you.

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